Pep Guardiola is a genius but his bizarre manhandling of Nathan Redmond shows the Manchester City manager's patronising side

• e-mail

Pep Guardiola very much views Manchester City as his own fiefdom. He has been allowed to mould the club in his own image.

What he must realise now is that beyond that small part of east Manchester, different rules apply.

Wednesday night was a thrilling one at the Etihad Stadium. It may only have been a regular Premier League game against Southampton in November but Raheem Sterling's winner at the death was so exciting to witness, it felt a little like an 'I was there' moment.

Pep Guardiola confronted Nathan Redmond immediately after the game on Wednesday night 

By the time the lights had dimmed, however, the result was no longer the main talking point. Guardiola's unprecedented confronting of Southampton's Nathan Redmond as the players left the field really was that extraordinary.

Had Guardiola behaved in this way during play, he would undoubtedly have been sent to the stands. So why the FA are yet to take any action is strange.

Only on Sunday, for example, Huddersfield's Rajiv van La Parra was dismissed for tangling with Leroy Sane after the final whistle had blown on another City victory. From here, it is hard to see the difference in the timing of the two incidents.

In terms of what Guardiola actually did, it seems to point to the Spaniard's apparent belief that he will always be the smartest guy in the room. The City manager clearly felt Redmond would care for his compliments, advice and, indeed, his criticism of the way Southampton had played.

 Guardiola was seen aggressively remonstrating with Redmond as he walked off the pitch

Sincere or otherwise, Guardiola showed himself to be presumptuous, patronising and lacking in judgment. With the impact of Sterling's goal still so raw, did he really expect to be thanked by the opposition for his words? Frankly, it is only a surprise that Redmond didn't poke him in the eye.

Emotions run high after football matches. Managers and players do things they regret. The great Brian Clough once clipped a fan round the ear, remember. He kissed him on the cheek by way of an apology the next day but whether he really meant it only he can have known.

But there is something of a pattern with Guardiola. Last season the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach claimed to be baffled by English football. He didn't seem to understand the style, the rules, the tackling, the opposition.

The underlying theme of all this faux puzzlement? It's not my fault, it's yours.

The Spaniard showed himself to be presumptuous, patronising and lacking in judgment

Guardiola may not feel he is here to be loved, only to win. He is right, too. He is a competitor first and foremost and, besides, we will always love him for his football. City have been exquisite this season.

Nor is his general behaviour on the touchline specific only to him. Guardiola is one of a clutch of managers who regularly walk a fine line between extreme passion and flagrant disrespect for the fourth official in particular.

It should not go unmentioned that on the night Guardiola was offering Redmond career advice, Chelsea's Antonio Conte was dismissed at Stamford Bridge.

The behaviour of Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp towards officials and the opposition is regularly incendiary, and Jose Mourinho and Mark Hughes do not have anything like a clean slate, either.

Guardiola was forced to apologise to referee Paul Tierney for his manic goal celebrations

There appears to be a widely held viewpoint among the managerial fraternity that the fourth official is there largely to provide them with a verbal punchbag on which to unleash their frustrations. 

And although this may be getting away from specific comparisons with Guardiola's actions on Wednesday, it points to the same theme. Namely, a belief that on match day almost anything goes and a knowledge that if retrospective punishment ever does come, it will be relatively light.

On Thursday, there were mixed views on Guardiola's behaviour. One respected ex-pro, former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith, said the player would have been flattered by the City coach's words — and, indeed, Redmond's social media post seemed to back that up.

Guardiola was involved in a heated exchange with Joshua Kimmich while Bayern Munich boss

But that is not really the point. More interesting is what all this says about the City manager himself. At his club, there is an aura around the 46-year-old that he uses to reasonable effect. To some at City — although not his players — he is viewed as unapproachable.

Beyond the confines of one elite club's training ground, however, Guardiola is merely a tiny part of a much bigger, more important picture. The Catalan is not doing everybody in the Premier League a favour just by being here.

He does not always appear to understand this.